Short answer: the Shure SRH1840. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#240 and #261 of 481 over-ear headphones), and the Shure SRH1840 costs $549 against $599 for the Grell OAE2, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for the Grell OAE2: An open-back from Axel Grell with front angled 40mm drivers for a speaker-like presentation, weighing 0.8 lbs (378 g). The tradeoff: Sub-bass falls about 3.6 dB short at 30 Hz.
What the Shure SRH1840 does well: The response leans neutral to slightly bright, with upper mids about 1.8 dB above target and presence and treble within about 1 dB, which makes vocals and instrument detail clear. The catch: Sub-bass is about 7.5 dB under target and bass is about 1.8 dB low, so kick drums and bass guitar are thin and lack rumble.
Buy the Shure SRH1840. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $50 less than the Grell OAE2.
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An open-back from Axel Grell with front angled 40mm drivers for a speaker-like presentation, weighing 378 g.
Grell Audio $599.00 eBay
The response leans neutral to slightly bright, with upper mids about 1.8 dB above target and presence and treble within about 1 dB, which makes vocals and instrument detail clear.
Amazon $549.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Grell OAE2 | Shure SRH1840 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.00 | $549.00 |
| Ranked | #261 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #240 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic (angled) | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 38 ohms | 65 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB @1kHz | 96 dB/mW |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 71 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.71 dB standard deviation | 2.29 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.63 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.91 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 38 Hz (-7.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Weight | - | 0.6 lbs (268 g) |
| Frequency Response | - | 10Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Grell OAE2 from aden, elrics and superreview; the Shure SRH1840 from auricularesargentina, sai and therollo9, all via squig.link.
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